Improvement in header attachments to harvesting-machines



2 Sheets-Sheet l. G. ESTERLY.

Header Attachment to Harvestes.

No. 37,392. e Patented Jany 1,3, 1863.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. ESTERLY.

Header Attachment to Hart/estersl No. 37.392. l Patented Jany I3, 1863.

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` GEORGE ESTERLY, OF WHITEVATER, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEADER ATTACHMENTS TO HARVESTING-lVl/\CH|I\.F.S.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,392, dated January 13, ISGS.

Vto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention applied to the drive-wheel frame of a reaper which has the drivers seat forward of the short supporting-sill of the finger-beam. The view is taken from the rear grain-side corner of the header attachment. Fig. 2 is a front view and partial section of a portion of the whole machine as arranged for heading or cutting grain v`below the heads. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the main frame of the reaper to which the header is attached. Fig. 4 shows the joint between the short sill and nger-bar. j

Similar letters of reference in the severah gures indicate corresponding parts.

Theleading idea with ine in devising the header attachment herein referred to was to provide a device which might be sold along with my combined reaper and mower, for which, at an even date with this application, I have applied for Letters Patent, and when thus sold might be used on the same main or drive-wheel frame, and in connection with the same' draft-frame and draftchain regulator and adjuster thereto attached, such applicability of the header to the main portion of the reaper greatly reducing the expense to be incurred by a farmer who desires to possess on his farm machinery capable of reaping and mowing, and also of heading, as his judgment may dictate orhis wants require. To this end, then, I have devised the following-described detached header, and provided on the reaper and mower frame and its connections certain auxiliary devices not necessary while reaping or mowing, but essential whileheading.

A A is an angular spout open at top, but closed in at bottom and sides, except at that part which is adjoined to the linger-bar. The bottom of this spout is flat, and the sides perpendicular thereto. The part A ofthe spout runs horizontally, lthe part A upward and outward from A, so as to form an incline plane.

J ust above the bottom of thehorizontal part A and out of contact with the bottom of the inclined part A of the spout, a slatted closed canvas apron, B B', is arranged within the spout upon pulley-shafts a b, so as to form an angle corresponding with the angle formed by the two parts of the spout. From the angle of the apron B B to its upper pulley-shaft, b, and a slight distance beyond, a second endless slatted closed apron, B2, runs, said apron being arranged just out in relief from the part B of the first apron lupon pulley-shafts d e, as represented. rlhe first apron is kept down at the part which comes opposite the finger-beam H by means of a guide-cleat, f, and at its opposite edge, near the angle it forms, is kept down by a similar but shorter cleat, g.

On the upper end of the part A of the spout a curved chute or discharge-nozzle, (bof flaring form, is constructed,so as to give the grain in its escape from the spout a vertical downward direction in a cart or other receptacle. There is also jointed or pivoted tothe lower end of thisV director C a jointed conductor, D E, s0 that if the grainis not in a proper condition to be immediately sacked, it may be disposited on the drive-wheel side ofthe machine, or upon the stubble, out of the track of the machine and the horses. This conductor is flared at its upper end, so as to underhang the chute C, and is attached to the chute by a pivot, h, so as to swivel laterally. It also has a joint near its lower end, as indicated at i t', so that said lower jointed end, E, may be deiiected by the weight of the descending bulk of grain out of a direct line with the upper portion, D, and held down with sufficient force to cause the stubble ofthe iield to be leaned over all in one'direction, and thus form a nearly flat bed for the descending grain to deposit f upon. The grain is thus deposited in swaths, and can be raked `cleaner and easier than if the stubble of the eld stood erect. This conductor is very essential in green-cut 7 grain, but is removed when the grain is dry cut,? and is to be carried off directly in a wagon, the wagon being drawn along under the discharge-shute G, and the grain falling from the shute into'it.

On the front edge of the horizontal part of thespout AA hinges j j are attached, so that a iinger-beam, H, may be hinged to it, as shown. The ii'ngerbeam used in this case is longer than the finger-beam for a reaper and mower; hence I provide a nger-beam and cutting apparatus especially adapted for headp ing. The finger-beam and cutting apparatus are in construction and in their inode of attachment to the sill of the reaper, and to `the grainshoe and divider, and to the beam of the grain-wheel, substantially the same as in the case of the reaper, except as to length, and in being attached on top of the sill, so as to bring them to the proper height, instead et' underneath the sill.

The connectionbetween the sill I and the linger-beam H should be a loose one, and be formed by eye-screw bolts and staples used in connection with tongued and grooved plates fr r, as illustrated in Fig. 4; and in order to employ such a connection,I provide, as in the -case ofthe reaping-machine, a curved slotted standard, k, on the outer end of the iingerbar, and connect the grain-divider shoe Z and the iinger-bar H to the beam m of the grainwheel n by means of a slot and bolt, o p, and a clamp-screw, 1, all as represented. By this means the cutting apparatus can be adjusted to a horizontal position independently' of the main frame, whatever may have been the height at which it was set,by turning the machine upon the drive-wheel axle. This adjustment, however, const-itutes no part of my present claim u nder this patent.

The header attachment thus constructed is provided with a sustaining chain or rod, K,

Vwhich extends from a bracket, s, of the grainwheel side frame to a hinged loop, t, at the top ofthe apron-spout. It also is provided with an arching oblique-set bent bar or back beam, L, with its ends iiattened and perforated, and one screwed to the top of the grainwhcel beam and the other left loose to be screwed to the top of the drive-wheel frame, as represented. It is further provided with two horizontal bars, a, on the under side of its hinged apron-spout, said arms extending back from the horizontal portion of the said spout to a position under the back beam, and up from them two chains, c e, extend and attach to the back beam, so as to sustain through the beam the weight of the apron-spout.

In order to vdrive the two aprons between which the grain ascends the steep incline plane formed bythe upper portion of the apron -spout, the upper pulley-shafts are geared with a cross-belt, N, andi in order to set the aprons in motion, a grooved pulley, o, with belt w, is provided on the pulleysha't't of the rst apron. v j

The reaper-frame Q, to which this header attachment is connected, is provided with a grooved eccentric, I), for driving the cutterbar, and to receive round its circumference the belt ui. It also is provided with a bent bracket, y, near its rear end, to support the conductor at its joint, and with a perforated adjusting-support, z, for holding the apronspout at any point it may be adjusted on its hinges. There are also two friction-pulleys,

2 2, arranged in a bearing-iron at the front of vthe drive-wneel R frame Q, so that the belt w may work properly upon the eccentric I?. To a reaper-frame thus provided, the header is attached by fastening the loose end of the back beam, as shown at 3, and inserting" a screw through the perforated support and into the apron-spout, as shown at 4, and fastening the iinger-bar to the top or under side of the short sill, and otherwise arrtnging the parts as represented in the drawings.

By my mode of constructing and applying the I detached header the sickle is elevated sufficiently high without lengthening the distance from the axle of the driving-wheel R to the sickle, to which there are many objections, it throwing too much weight forward and making it diicult to manage. The aprons and spout can be adjusted so as to always stand or lie level, wh ether cutting high or low, the chains and hinges and adj Listing-support admitting of this. The grain is prevented from scattering or rolling back in its ascent, the two aprons conning and elevating it most effectually. The aprons and inclined portion of the spout are brought directly, or nearly so, over the driving-wheel, instead ot infront thereof. This is important, as it places the weight so near the axis of the drive-wheel as to nearly balance it on the same, and thus raisesv and lowers easily ,whereas if the spout were placed in front of the drive-wheel it could not be adjusted by the driver so readily. The aprons are driven by a belt from the pitman crank-wheel or eccentric of the cutter-bar mover, and thus much gearing obviated; and, finally, the jointed conductorvlays the stubble and insures a more unii'brm deposit in gavels of the grain upon the same.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i l. The header' attachment for harvesters, combining the several elements described herein and represented in the drawings, or the equivalent thereof, ioruse in connection with the main frame Q (or its equivalent) of a reaper or mower by being attached to the short sill ofl said frame, substantially as described.

2. In a detached-header organization, substantially as described, the construction of the horizontal and inclined portions A A of the spout in one piece, in combination with the supporting of thehorizontal portion by hinges 'on the finger-beam, and by chains or rods 011 a curved back beam, and with the supporting` and adjusting of both portions together by means of'an adjusting-bracket of the main frame Q of a harvester, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In conneetionwith an adjustable or hinged spout, A A', of a detached header, the arrangement of the adjusting supporting-brace z, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. Leaning the stubble of the iield all one way for the deposit of the grain upon it by uneans of the hinged or swinging portion E,

or its equivalent, ofthe conductor D, substanthe grooved eccentric l? to receive a header tially as described.

5. The combination of the back beain, L, constructed substantially as describedfwitli the sustaining,` rod or chain o, bracket y, supp ort z, and grainside beam m, and with the main frame Q and spoutA A', and conductor' D E, substantially in the manner and for the pnrpose described. j

6. Providing the main frame Q with the brackets y, support z, friction-rollers 2 2, and

attachment, substantially as set forth. 7. The combination of the independentlyadjustable nger-beani H and dividerl with an independently adjustable spout, A A, aprons D B, and conductor D E, substantially as and for thc purpose described.`

' GEO. ESTERLY. Vitnesses:

G. W. Esrn-RLY, THEODORE HEMPEL. 

